Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
The end of July is about the time when the standings in MLS’ conferences say something meaningful. Looking at them right now doesn’t bring on too many surprises, except in the West where there’s a glaring omission in the top six: the Los Angeles Galaxy. They currently sit five points behind Vancouver for the sixth spot in the West, and from the word go this season, they have not been the Galaxy everyone around the league has come to expect. It’s put up or shut up time at the StubHub Center, so can the Galaxy rebound and at least make the postseason, or is the seemingly unthinkable about to happen?
Every season since 2008, the Galaxy have made the postseason. Their presence in the playoffs hasn’t even been questioned, because they’re always mentioned as a Cup contender. They’re not anywhere near that as thing stands, so their question will be can they recover enough to make the postseason from being ninth as it stands in the West?
Coincidentally, that’s where the Sounders were at the All-Star Game last season in the standings before they made their headlong charge towards MLS Cup. Seattle changed coaches and brought in a new DP which jump started their fortunes, which in some ways proves that changes in fortunes like what happened with the Sounders last year doesn’t necessarily come organically. Do the Galaxy have anything like that up their sleeve?
It’s always possible that they could make a huge splash signing, but with the way the Galaxy have been operating recently, that may not be the case. It’s hard for any signing at this point of the season to have a Nico Lodeiro type impact, so maybe it will come from the Galaxy internally? Romain Alessandrini and Gio Dos Santos have 14 goals between them, which isn’t a horrible return, but could serve to be better. But behind that, their third leading scorer is defender Daniel Steres with three goals, and that is a problem. But overall, their 31 goals scored is a better number than two teams in playoff position, and that’s with injuries and bad form taking their toll. Maybe then goal scoring isn’t the big issue.
What’s really ailing the Galaxy is a horrific defense. They’ve shipped 37 goals this season, and only DC, RSL and Minnesota have leakier rearguards. Tactically, the Galaxy have seemed lost defensively, especially on Saturday when New England constantly threw wave after wave in attack to them, and the Galaxy couldn’t cope. Add that in with the goalkeeping mess and tactical confusion seemingly defining the season, and you get a team that is lost at the back, which is what the Galaxy have been all season.
And it’s the worst possible combination for the Galaxy that’s gone wrong this season: the youth hasn’t grown in the ways that many expected them to, and the veterans have seen a decline in performance (outside of Alessandrini and Gio) that’s concerning. That’s also nothing to say of the horror show the Galaxy have had in goal with Clement Diop being given more of a chance than he probably should have, and tactics that players have openly questioned at times.
Curt Onalfo would likely be fired at many other clubs, but he seems to be pretty safe despite the Galaxy’s plummeting performances. LA has lost five in a row, tactics seem to be slipping, disharmony in the dressing room seems to be growing, and LAFC is looming over their shoulder. The Galaxy have been so long a dominant and overawing presence in MLS, but those days seem like ancient history looking at this current iteration. But, fortunes can change in MLS. The league’s format is so forgiving, that even this Galaxy team that has won one game at StubHub Center all season can find a way back. But the time for considering changes is gone.
There is no margin for error left for the Galaxy. Scuffle for much longer and the playoffs are out of the question. Something decisive must be done, whether it’s a coaching change, tactical switch a major signing or something else out of left field, but it’s time for decisive action. This team has too much talent and too much pedigree to be languishing in ninth place in the West with one home win in 10 games this season.
It is up to Galaxy management to decide whether this season’s downward spiral has been unacceptable. So far, they seem fairly content with what has been going on with the lack of major changes on the horizon.
What’s next for MLS’ glamor franchise? More uncertainty, or an in-season renaissance? Now is the time for answers, and for now, it doesn’t seem like anyone at StubHub Center has definitive answers.
